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Recoup and Renewal
Recoup and Renewal I'm Your Monster The events that followed -what the Magic Council has dubbed, "The River Razing Incident,"- would be resolved in the coming weeks. When the people regain their senses they were understandably beside themselves at what they had lost, both in lives and livelihoods. Destruction over the the town had minimized to the best of the participating Guild's abilities, but they still had much to do to regain their full functionality. As it stood, that meant a halt in their trading business which would hurt them majorly in an economic downpour. They were all but desperate but Victor proposed something to aid their town in their plight. By reoganizing resources to set up a new base of operations within the city, he could have his own employees help with the repairs and help restore their lives back to the way they were if not better than before. Signing contracts and negotiating smoothly, he acquired all trading rights within their shipyards, something he had been harassing them for a good while. Left with no choice but to acquiesce to the man's bargain, they'd soon have a profiting city that would only loose a fraction of the profits to their citywide benefactor, Victor Alexander. With their resources, he'd have better options of extending his company's reach ot previously closed off routes and work around territories to keep growing his market. But that was all in the details. While the casualties were high, it was hardly going to cripple the entire city. Restored with hope when a member of both the Council and the Saints came to help with the recovery, Victor heard with relief at a later time they'd be doing well.Social health was as much detrimental as it was their cultural and economic stability in his eyes. Using their avaible Skyhawk that wasn't demolished in the ensuing battle, now hours ago, they set out for the short trip home. With Victor at the helm, Godfried asleep while leaning against a wall with his disciple just looking out the window when she wasn't bouncing around, Noriko set out to find the kids. She cast a look of disgust at Wess as he smoked inside of the debriefing center of the ship, turning to look for Morgan. Accompanied by her sibling with Yui idly leaning back against her seat, she bent her knees to lean towards the pair of sisters with a smile. "How are you holding up? I'm pretty sure the kinds of fights you had today weren't like the ones you had before," She asked and reasoned, knowing that shellshock could set in even long after a fight has taken place. Seeing Maria blinked and nodded quietly a few times, she turned to look at her sister to see how well she was taking it. Morgan sat next to her sister in near total silence. She was lost in thought, and the very nature of the thoughts swirling in her head was of a dark persuasion. She thought back on the fight with Mina, the psychic nightmare. She remembered the surge of power she felt, the look of fear that flashed in the girl’s eyes, the feeling of blood on her hand as she clawed through the psychic mage. None of that scared her more than the fact she enjoyed it, a chance to push her powers to their limits, a chance to destroy. She imagined the glee that Jadow would have voiced if he saw her giving into her instincts, unleashing everything she had, becoming the beast he made her. The mere idea of becoming what the vile dragon wanted made her ill. No matter how she tried to justify it to herself, whether or not what she had done was right, she had become something she always feared; the monster that she was trained to become since childhood. The only thing she believed that was good about the whole ordeal, the only silver lining, was that she was able to protect her family in the end. Her powers, despite their destructive nature, were able to do something good, and for that, she was thankful. When Noriko walked over, she tried to hide the fact she was reeling emotionally. When the woman asked how she was, she faked a smile, not wanting to give away what she really felt like. “I’m fine.” she lied, as if denying the truth would help. Pouting her lips, Noriko finger flicked Maria's forehead with an irriative voice let out, "Yeah, right. And I'm a Fairy. Come on kid, be honest with me cause I know being in a battle of this scale might have shook you up, even before the Big Bad Ugly came to play." "Well, I was scared," Maria admitted with a tentative lick on her lips. "I...I thought a few times I'd die, or watch Morgan die. It was unbearable and I was so frightened. I was just so glad to have my sister and Yui help me stand up when I thought I'd fall down." "Tch, give yourself some credit, kid," Yui rolled her eyes while wryly smiling at the two of them. "You did really well for not ever having a field mission before. You must be in pretty good shape training with your dad, keeping your skills polished and the like. I'm sure you two are going to go a long ways, just like I plan to be." "Yeah well, I'm not as cool as Morgan," Maria blushed and shook her head, trying to avert Yui's gaze while staring at Morgan with a sincere stare. "You were incredible. I didn't know you could be this strong. I can't wait to see what else you can do!" Morgan rubbed her forehead and glared at Noriko. She didn’t want to talk about how worthless she felt, having for any length of time been the very thing she despised, the thing she feared. She bit her lip, doing everything she could to keep from saying something on sheer emotion, something she knew she would regret. When Maria said that she admired Morgan’s powers, she briefly remembered the battle aboard the ark, the way she couldn’t control her own body, the sick, nauseated feeling of being once again an unwilling puppet in someone’s schemes, this time far too literally. Even worse, she had been turned against one of the only people in the entire world she never dreamt of forcing off the mortal coil, and only clever wit had prevented her from a sin too great for even the dark dragon’s student to bear. “I’m not cool...I’m a monster. I enjoyed being able to destroy those people. I’m no better than Jadow. I actually enjoyed being able to hurt someone. Worst yet, during that fight on the deck of the ark,” she said, her words calm despite the rush of emotions overtaking her. “ I could have killed you all, just because that man ordered it. I couldn’t do anything to stop myself. If not for your quick thinking I’d have blood on my hands I never asked for. How can you think I’m cool when I could have taken your life just as quickly as I killed those guys on the docks?” Maria had no idea what became of most the Dark Wizards that Morgan fought. The realization that Morgan admitted she enjoyed killing the men who stood in their way made her head spin. For a few seconds as she reeled at this revelation, recoiling a bit visibly in front of her sister. Was it all true? Was she simply forcing an ideal of what she saw her sibling but was truly something else underneath the glittering veil? "Idiot," Yui hissed out loud, turning to look at Morgan with an annoyed look on her face. "It's called an adrenaline rush. Plus, these bastards slaughtered innocents without any second's glance. Anyone who got killed in the crossfire in this battle between Dark Wizards and Legal Mages gets what's coming to them!" "As blunt as Yui's words are, she does have a point," Noriko added with a roll of her eyes, turning her face to look at her student before drifting back to Morgan'st downcast glance. Lowering herself down on her haunches so that she could get a more level plane view, she smiled sincerely as she spoke more softly. "That guilt that you felt about what you were forced to do? Hold onto that. Cause that's a fundamental difference between you and whatever this Jadow ''is. Monsters don't care one way or another what or why they do terrible things. We have to protect loved ones, punish the wicked and defend ourselves from other evils. While not everything will be so black and white, in this case, you shouldn't feel horrible for any life you took down there. Even if your body finds a thrill in battle, which isn't a sin in my book, just remember it is your heart and your mind that ultimately controls whom you fight. I'm sure if you really wanted to harm these two, there'd be nothing to stop you from doing so. Just keep that in mind the next time you think someone has complete control over you." Standing up, she ruffled Morgan's hair and grinned toothily at her as she thumbed to the side of the airship, "It's still a few minutes before we get back. Want me to grab something for you all to eat? Drink?" When she saw the way Maria flinched, Morgan looked away. She could tell by the way her sister recoiled, she had done something that her words had once again had an effect she didn’t want the the illusion Maria had of how perfect Morgan was as a sibling had gone up in flames. A pain tore through her, a pair born not of battle, but from her heart. A sharp, sickening, all devouring pain that she couldn’t make go away, and in the end, she knew only her own self was to blame. Even being insulted by Yui did nothing to halt the torn feeling in her chest. even if it did remind her why she had done what she did, why there was blood on her hands, blood she was willing to drown in if it meant protecting the people she loved, the people who had saved her from a hellish solitude that may very well have broken her a million times more without somebody, anybody, to turn to. Noriko’s words only reinforced the epiphany that she wasn’t wrong to be torn between both guilt and a sense of thrill from her actions, guilt was one of the many things she still had that her nightmarish former master didn’t. And even if she was under the thrall of someone else, as much as she despised the concept, what she was forced to do wasn’t really her fault. A spark of realization lit up in her eyes. It wasn’t her, after all, that purposefully sought to harm her sister or Yui, and that was trumped only by the fact neither were in fact seriously hurt by her ink-possessed rampage. “Can you bring me some water? I don’t think I can eat right now.” she said, feeling nauseous from her emotions running on full blast for a while, messing with every aspect of her body. "I getcha," Noriko nodded with sober understanding. After getting an order of chilled coffee from Yui and juice from Maria, she set off to find something closely resembling tea in the kitchen of the Skyhawk. From there, the room quieted once more, leaving the children with their thoughts and their emotions. After the silence, finally Maria spoke up to her sister. "I understand," She whispered, turning to look sadly at her sibling. "I get that I can't think or feel the way you do. It wasn't right of me to believe we could be at all alike as much as I'd like that. But at the same time, that doesn't matter," turning around on her seat she looked seriously at the black haired girl while turning her head slightly to the right. Managing a half smile, she placed a hand up to stroke Morgan's hair, wistfully speaking from the heart. "But it's okay if I still think you're cool, right? Even if you feel comfortable with taking lives and find enjoyment in power, I can still admire you. That isn't a bad thing right?" Morgan felt as if her heart shattered. Maria’s voice carried a sadness she could feel as much as hear. Her blood seemed to freeze in her veins as the reality set in, the damage was done and there was no going back. It was a feeling she quickly despised, a feeling she wished she could forget. After a few seconds spent finding the right words, she turned to face her sister. “I’m sorry. I can’t be the sister you expected. I can’t be that perfect specter in your head. I’m too broken to. But I know this;You’re the best sister I could ask for, even if we’re nothing alike.” she said, her voice cracking as she tried to keep her emotions in check. Even if she couldn’t admit it aloud, the words just would not form on her lips, she loved her family, and would do anything to keep them. “And if you think I’m cool, I have to be doing something right. Even if I don't think I am.” Without another word spoken, Maria wrapped her arms around Morgan's neck and pulled her into a tight hug. Even as tears slid down her face, a sad yet heartfelt smile was worn as she hiccupped slightly. Rubbing her sibling's back up and down, she whispered into her ear softly, "I love you, Morgan. I love you so much. I'm so happy you're my sister. Even if you are a monster, you're my monster to have and no one else's. Mine, okay?" Yui couldn't do more than just look on with surprise at the endearing emotion coming from the sister who was shocked by Morgan's admission of guilty pleasure in carnage and suffering. Shaking her head, she shrugged and just folded her arms behind her head to lean back to close her eyes. She wanted to catch a few winks before Noriko happened to come back with their beverages, most likely an excuse to have the two sisters talk things out. "''You two," She thought with a subtle curl of a smile. "You're going to be okay, as long as you're together. That's all I got to say on that matter, even if you won't hear it directly from me. Keep your bond strong and you'll be capable of going through tragedy incarnate." Morgan smiled ecstatically as she returned Maria’s embrace, a few tears raining down her face as her emotions won out in the end. “I’ll always be your monster, just yours, I promise.” she whispered back. If not for the seriousness of the moment, she might have laughed, having found a small amount of humor in how things had turned out. What once was a badge of shame to her became something new, a symbol of her love for her sister, a twist she never could have expected. Even if she couldn’t say it herself, she felt as if nothing in the world would ever change how she felt about her sibling, one of the very few sources of light in her dark and twisted life. Arrival It didn't take long for the Skyhawk to dock at the Alexander estate's private hangar. The only thing that Victor lamented was that the Skyhawk that Diana and the girls took to the city was irrepairably damaged when they uncovered its remains. Still, it was nothing compared to the accomplishments of taking down such a notorious band of Dark Wizards and taking their leaders into custody. Both the Velvet Sorceress, an infamous thief and criminal in the magic world, and Swartz whose been wanted by several nations for many crimes he's committed was a big relief to the Council once they were informed. Despite being left relatively unattended, the restraints they put upon them negated the ability of them being scurried away by a third party or having them break themselves out if they happened to have the means of doing so. The only ones that could move them would be the Magic Council's teams they sent out of their way to move them to a secure facility to hold them until their trial could be conducted. But such headaches were now firmly behind the Alexanders and the fledgling Phoenix Guild. With the promise of the trading city recovering, Victor was already tromping off to busy himself in his study. Before he left, he reactivated Diana's card, earning a harsh lecture from her about the ramifications of pulling her out of a fight so quickly. Obeying his whims, she went to help ferry the girls to their room as most of the Guildsmen had to go to their respective guest rooms within the hall. Noriko insisted that Yui give them their space just as Godfried did to Maria. As Diana was donned in a clean dress and she herself was cleaned up from the marks of battle, she took the girls back to their quarters. Sighing she couldn't help but look over her shoulder at them curiously. Seeing Maria holding Morgan's hand comfortingly as she kept almost at all times shoulder to shoulder with her sister, she smiled and inquired to the adopted sister specifically, "You're doing well after the battle? I know it must be rought so I don't expect you to brush off this experience so easily. I just want an honest answer from you, away from everyone else." When the Skyhawk touched down, Morgan let out a groan of disappointment. While she was happy to be home, she also loved the feeling of flight, even if that sensation wasn’t directly under her own power. It was one of the few times she felt absolute freedom, as if even the past itself couldn’t catch her. As she left the hanger, she took a moment to admire the view, the first sight of her home she ever had. It brought back both good and bad memories, conflicting memories of a confused, terrified and vindictive girl wanting nothing but to tear the world apart to become strong enough to take her revenge against the monster than laid her life to ruin, a figment of history that in many respects wasn’t all that different from herself now. Power was still important, as was her desire for revenge, and yet she could feel that ever-present spiral temper itself; She had another reason to want to gain power, she had people who she desperately wanted to protect, and without power she knew it was impossible to do. Even with a month of training with Victor, she knew full well that her current capabilites were a far cry from the full potential she dreamed of one day reaching. “''Hard to believe a month really has gone by''.” she thought, realizing how much has changed since Victor welcomed her into his family, now her family as well. After her bout of reminiscing, she followed the rest of the group into the mansion, not wanting to be left too far behind the others. The moment Victor reactivated Diana’s card, materializing the spirit anew, Morgan felt a bit relieved. Not knowing quite how Virago Spirit Magic worked, a lesson that hadn’t been broached before during her training, she was unsure of how simple a matter it would have been to revive one of the spirits after such an exhausting fight, especially the one she assumed to outright be the strongest of the trio in her father’s possession. The only signs of of the battle that the Dragon Slayer could see remaining were a few scuff marks and some light damage on her clothes. After Diana cleaned herself up and the rest of the guild took to their own quarters for the time, she followed the spirit alongside Maria. Without much thought, she took hold of her sister’s hand, a gesture that was returned, causing the dark-garbed girl to smile softly. “I’m better than I was a while ago.” she said, replying to Diana’s question, not bothering with a lie. The truth had already come out once, and although it was still a bitter truth, it was much easier to admit a second time “I did a lot of terrible things today, things I never thought I’d have to do. But I’m adjusting, thanks to Maria, Yui and Noriko’s help.” As she spoke, her voice grew a bit darker as she recalled once more the feelings that ate at her. “I just need to remember what’s most important out there.” she added, turning to give a small glance at Maria. "Mhm," Maria replied with a humming nod, smiling back at her sister when she glanced. "As long as you got family, you can stand against the world!" "I'm not sure it's that simple, Maria," Diana responded with a laugh. When she noticed that Morgan was a bit disturbed she herself couldn't imagine what she was going through. Turning her face to look straight forward as they took a turn out of the hangar and down a stretch of hallway to the main staircase, she continued her verbatum to the adopted sibling. "I'm sure you are aware of how the world is a lot darker than some optimists would like to ignore or are naively unaware of. Seeing what the Black Brier Gang was capable of at a populace of that, killing so many unnecessarily and using such potent Magic in the name of self indulgence, perverse thrill and selfish greed. It can justify any anger you have and the killing of them that anyone may have done. "But, that is not a reason in of itself to excuse killing," The Virago Spirit corrected out loud as the drew past a window, whose rays briefly enraptrued her in a halo of light before shadows slid over her stoic expressed visage. "Through my actions as one who ferrets out justice and protects those under my charge, I took actions that took the lives of two aspiring Mages, be they Illegal or misguided matters not. But I didn't do it out of hate or ill will. I just couldn't afford to allow them to keep revealing their hands and potentially do harm to you as well as the thousands under our charge. You have to see the bigger picture before boiling it down to a simple vendetta or grudge against any minute number of entities. If you approach the goal of taking a life that way, your small framed vision will become much too limited in all the things, people and dreams you harm in the process." Sighing, she grasped the handrail of the staircase when they finally reached it. Turning to look back at the two girls, she smiled proudly at them while hiding a tinge of regret in her eyes, "While I wish I could have protected you two better, I'm glad how you two adapted to the situation at hand. When we really needed you, the two of you came through. For that, I'm very proud of your success in your first mission as Phoenix Guild Wizards." "Thanks, Diana," Maria piped up with a bright smile, squeezing her sister's hand tightly. "Though I couldn't have done it without her. Morgan really helped keep us together and survive. Even when things got tense, I knew she wanted me to save her just as she saved us just shortly before. Isn't that right?" Morgan listened intently as Diana spoke to her, understanding that the spirit was simply trying to help bring order to the chaotic, dark and maddening thoughts, and perhaps absolution for the guilt that she felt. Even being told that she was easily justified, after all it was a battlefield where casualties were expected in some form or another, that little voice in the back of her mind, the one that eerily sounded like Jadow told her otherwise, that she was still a cold-blooded killer. She forced the twisted voice into silence, in a way denying her tormentor the satisfaction of breaking her without ever being there, now armed with the knowledge that she had only done what had to be done. The fact Diana also had to take lives to ensure both success of the mission and the protection of those dear to her, the fact she wasn’t the only one who had done so, eased Morgan’s guilt immensely. Hearing the sprit was proud of her despite her actions gave her another reason to smile. “You really did save me, more than once today. Your quick thinking was able to not only free me from that coward’s control, you gave me the power to take him down before he was able to do much worse.” she said, tightening her own grip on her sibling’s hand. Tearing up at Morgan's acknowledgement, she closed her eyes as she raised their clenched hands up to be level with their shoulders, "Our bond is what makes us strong. No matter how filthy or broken we are, we'll always have each other. Not even death can separate what we have together!" Smiling at Maria's endearing proclamation to her sister, Diana began walking up the stairs, not bothering to look back where the stairs began for the two daughters of her Master, "I trust to see you both in bed. You had a rough day and earned a well deserved rest. If you both wake up hungry I'll be sure to make something for you two to eat. Until then, rest easy knowing you did well in making it out of there alive." "That's right," Maria nodded with a smile, turning to look at Morgan earnestly. "C'mon! We'll even share the same bed this time so you don't have nightmares. Is that okay? Just this one night?" Morgan smiled brightly as Maria proclaimed the eternity of their bond together. Just the fact Maria had seen the absolute darkest side of her and still gave her such a promise filled with compassion meant the world to her. She believed that with her sister alongside her, even the worst things in their future would be easy to surmount, no matter how frightening it ever seemed. When Maria offered to sleep in the same bed, Morgan’s expression softened. She couldn’t even remember the last time she hadn’t slept alone, with only the shadows and the endless night to give her company, both fueling and preventing the nightmares in not always equal measure. “I’d really like that. I really would.” she said with a small smile. Awakening Two weeks had fully passed since the The River Razing Incident for Fiume de Giglio. Repairs and reorganization was already well underway to returning the bustling trade center into an even grander hub than it ever was. With a newly christened headquarters for IMAC placed where Town Hall used to be, many employees and security officers were keeping to their work with directing the local populace in rebuilding and what to do with shipping. If anything they became the sole proprietors of employment and direction, doubling as a second form of government if only in execution of how they accompany their job. Regardless, among the thousands that perished against the Black Brier Gang's maddening attack were the plethora of militia that served as the city's sole defense. While it ordinarily wouldn't arouse more attention than some band of thugs or some troublemakers, the recent attack of a Dark Guild equivalent put them all on edge. Despite the dozens of capable security officers and newly recruited militia, the Magic Council deemed it necessary to send a complementary squad of its Armed Wizards to keep watch and stand guard in case any unruly or unscrupulous characters decided to attack it for whatever reason; be that for the influx of goods via IMAC or the suspicion hidden treasures were still there after the attack. This of course led to the arrival within the day before the seventh of recovery had passed when five Mages from the Council's Armed Wizards branch arrived. Among them were some infamous characters within the Magic World but also some relatively fresh initiates who recently earned the right and title to be among the best fighters of the Council's warriors. One of which made it her personal duty to drag out her senior comrade out of his bed no matter how much he didn't want to. "Black! Black, I know you're in there!" Rapped the door came from a certain blonde girl, decked out something akin to a schoolgirl uniform with a mini-skirt and black thigh high stockings. The only thing particular about her appearance was the boyish cut to her Sun colored hair -which complemented her emerald cobalt eyes- which had a pointed black hat that seemed to mimick her expressions in a comedic fashion, complete with etched dark eyes and jagged mouth. The other thing was her red scarf wrapped around her neck, ending with a golden frill at each end. Her name is Rubie Trinity, and she was one of the youngest members of the Armed Wizards; but that didn't stop her from banging on the door like she was a sister to the man lying within his temporary quarters. "Black! If you don't get out here soon, so help me, I will make you regret it!" She huffed heavily, her eyes twitching violently as her hat did the same. Hearing his partner bang on his door, Hunter Black bolted upright from his bed, an empty bottle of soda in his hand. Groggily, he looked at the door, wishing he could simply burn a hole through it, and in his current mood, the one behind it for good measure. “I’m coming, hold your horses damn it!” he barked. “Fine start to the day already.” he muttered to himself, swinging his legs off the bed. He casually lobed the empty glass into his trash can, watching with childish glee as the bottle landed in the receptacle. He walked over to the closet, he quickly changed into a black shirt, blood-red vest, dark blue jeans, combat boost and a carmine trench coat before trekking over to the bathroom sink to wash up before being forced to greet the day. As he looked in the mirror, he noted how his snow-white hair obscured his deep blue eyes. “Time for a trim.” he thought before returning to his bedside, pulling up a large, heavy case from the floor, setting it atop the bed in short order, flicking open all the locks with expert grace. Under the lid was a giant broadsword, Arondight. the blade was unique in that sections of the tip had been cut out, giving it a odd, hourglass-like shape, along with a demonic skull and bones motif evident in the hilt. Had he not built the thing to be anti-magic, he’d have kept it in his Requip dimension, but it resisted every attempt he made to do so. Strapping his overgrown sword to his back, he strode over to the door, opening it and smirked as he saw his partner standing there, making sure he had indeed managed to trudge out of bed. “See? I’m up.” Despite the harsh bluntness of his words, he cracked a rare smile. Many people would think he hated Rubie, but that was far from the truth. She was the only prospective partner who hadn’t had their fill of his attitude after only a few weeks and left him in the dust. How she managed to deal with his ego and crude attitude, filled with rude snark and foul words at the best of times, he had no idea, but he was thankful for it. “You’re better than any alarm clock in the world, you know that?” "I'm not an appliance, bastard," She pouted out in response, her eyes squinting up in a way her hat hilariously mimicked in accordance. Being below his shoulder in height -relatively around the middle of his chest- she knew that while young she was incredibly small compared to the rest of her comrades, something she was a bit sensitive about if mentioned out loud. Despite the positive intentions she knew his words had, it still rubbed her the wrong way to be mentioned alongside something so small as an alarm clock. Huffing, she placed one fist into her hip, swung her other hipout and waved a hand in an exasperated tone, "Honestly, it's not like you have to put much energy into this assignment. We're only here as an extra investment in case things go south here. Just keeping an eye out for something beyond the company's security AND the newly minted town guard shouldn't be hard cause no one comes out here...unless, you know, secret magic items were lurking around." Making a blanch expression she turned away to make a sigh as she crossed her arms over her chest, "Forget it, just pretend that you care for once. I know how much you hate daylight, you lazy bum." Hunter smirked as he watched his partner react to his remark. It was so like her to latch on to his comment about her being better than an alarm clock the wrong way that he couldn’t help take a bit of satisfaction from it. Taking a step over the threshold, he realized he was forgetting something. Without a word or gesture, he bolted back into the room and grabbed the key, jamming it into his pants pocket before returning to where he had stood a few second prior. “Would it help if I offered to buy breakfast?” he asked, locking the door behind him. “I got a bit of extra money, so I’ll be nice for once. Maybe you’ll understand I’m not such a lazy bastard once I’m satiated, and I hear that women calm down a bit after being fed. How about we just kill two birds with one stone?” he said with a slight grin, looking forward to the soon to be coming backlash from his words. Although he didn’t know how or why Rubie was able to deal with his attitude so much, he knew exactly why he needed her around. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, she was often the saving grace in his life, not that he’d ever be caught dead saying such in her presence, or at all. Sighing, she looked over at Hunter before rolling her eyes, "Really? What am I, your pet? I'm not that easily pleased to just give me food to make me less irritated at your choice of words. However," Smirking, she turned on her heel and leaned forward, her grin becoming more opportonuistic as her eyes twinkled with mischief at him. "I know of a real good restaraunt that opened up last weekend. The old store owner was just part of a run-down hole-in-the-wall grill & bar, but now that his competition bit the dust he was able to expand with the allocated funds supplied by the city through IMAC. It's not too shabby, and you should try it for yourself, AFTER I get some treatment for your rude behavior." She knew that she was taking advantage of him, but she didn't like the fact how his verbal tics made her irate. He seemed to be the only one too, and they had been partners since the very beginning. While she was eighteen now, she was just a confused and self absorbed girl four years ago. Being partnered up with him vastly improved her relationship with the other Armed Wizards and also filled her with more than just confidence but pride in her work. The two of them had been the most respected duos within the Military Branch of the Council and it only made her work just that much more bearable. That respect went a long way, she just wished it applied to all the other members staffed with them in Fiume di Gigglio. Hunter knew the look Rubie had given him all too well, the look that silently told him that she was going to milk his words for all they were worth. With a subtle look of resignation, he knew his fate was sealed, as it often was when he tried to do something nice for his teammate. Not that he really minded, she was after all an important person to him, and every Jewel he’d spend to make her smile was well worth it, especially when those kinds of moments brought out the last remaining shreds of humanity in him, reminding him of the most important things in life. Those precious moments had a way of letting him remember what it was he was fighting for, a world where nobody had to suffer the way he had. And if he had his way, that world would become reality. “Your wish is my command.” he droned dryly, bowing in feigned defeat. “Now, if you’d be so kind as to lead the way, we can get started.” he added as he straightened himself. "Glad you know your place," She sang aloud with a cheery grin, feeling much better than she had when she had to fetch him from his place. Turning on her heel, she pointed up into the air crying out. "March, my loyal dog!" From that point on, Rubie led the way for their daily patrol. It was a standard routine they settled by touring through the residential areas within the inner part of the city before moving to its outskirts. From their point of view, most of the interactions they had with the locals seemed fairly positive. Given that they were receiving help to not only recover but surpass their old livelihoods she expected something like this wouldn't keep them down. She was only mirthful about the many casualties suffered at the hands of Dark Wizards who were no better than bandits in their mayhem. The name "Phoenix" presided over everyone's lips on how they were a Guild who served the company that now helped them achieve this state of prosperity and renewal. "I wonder what kind of Mages work there?" She thought as hours into her work, she felt herself stir with hunger. Seeing that nothing was out of the ordinary, as before, she eyed at the prize she yearned for. A bustling restaraunt with the shape of a crescent moon sign over it with black silk stretched across to fill in the gap of the "light" side of the moon and its "dark" side. Walking towards its entrance, she noticed that it was during the settling eve of a busy hour, meaning all of the come and goers had left, leaving a few openings for them to exploit. Pushing the door open, a slight jingle akin to crystals strumming in the wind was heard, and she stepped in with her partner in tow. Entering in, a wafting host of pleasant odors carried into her nostrils, the sight of seated customers eating their fill of a variety of good foods making her mouth water. Turning to look over shoulder with a grin, she looked at a waiter who caught her eye, "Is it possible to get a table for two please?" "Ah, of course! Just be seated over there," The young gentleman nodded to a small table not too far from the counter that looked recently cleaned. "I'll be over to help you real quick. Help yourselves to the menus while I go finish some things up." "No problem and thank you," She curtsy in response while flashing a smile to him. Walking to the available table, she slid into her seat weightlessly and pulled out the menu before Hunter could even sit himself. From what she saw there was about as much items under the meat as there was seafood. Looking at the prices, she knew the quality must be high as the restaraunt was still packed at an early hour of the afternoon. Peeking up from her menu, she inquired with a smile. "I think I might get their Premimum Steak & Rice Combo. Might as well get the drink when it only costs a few Jewels extra.What looks good to you, Hunter?" “Now who’s the pet?” Hunter grumbled under his breath so that Rubie couldn’t hear, following along regardless. She was happy, so he was willing to play along. He just hoped their daily patrol was as silent and peaceful as could be. As he went about his business, he kept hearing the name of the Phoenix Guild from practically everyone, always a song of praise in their honor. Given the fact that without their aid the town would be the both the epicenter and the beginning of a terrible attack, the likes of which the Council was unlikely prepared to handle, he had to give the fledgling group some credit. Not only did they stop the larger-scale attack in its tracks, they saved the people of the city, so they were at least earning his respect, something few new guilds managed to do so quickly. He wondered that with their connection to the IMAC if their goals were for the people or the profits, company-bought mercenary style. He was leery of the idea in the first place, a guild and company together, but he couldn’t argue with the results in front of him. As he walked into the restaurant, the scents made his mouth water and his stomach agreed with an eager growl of anticipation. He hoped the food was as good as he anticipated. As he read the menu, he grew conflicted. “So many good choices...” he thought before something caught his eye, a temptation too great. “I think I go for the salmon. Haven’t had a good slice of fish in ages.” "Sounds good to me, as long as you're paying," She giggled, loving that things were going her way. Setting down the menu she saw the waiter come back after he had finished taking a number of orders and plates to other customers. Smiling she gestured to her partner while speaking for both of them. "I'd like to have the Steak and Rice Combo, and he'll have the Salmon Meal." "Okay," He began jotting down on his notebook, looking up to confirm aloud, "Steak and Rice Combo with a Salmon Meal," seeing that neither of them objected he nodded and folded up his notebook while holding the trays under arm. "Alright. Be right back in a jiffy." Hurrying off, he began shouting out orders once he reached the kitchen away from the rest of the guests. In that time, a thought was brought up by Rubie that made her blink several times. Turning to look at Hunter, she leaned forward to rest her chin on folded hands crossed over each other. "So," She began with a wry smile. "I heard that you were part of an investigation unit about a disturbance in the Bosco border. Someone mentioned a train being involved but I don't know what happened. Could you tell me if it had something to do with IMAC? Was it a terrorist or a Dark Wizard attack?" “Yeah, you could say it has something to do with them. It was an IMAC train, after all.” Hunter said. “It was an attempted robbery, a well-planned one if you ask me. Detaching the engine car like that.” he shook his head, laughing softly. “Front half of the first car was reduced to scrap, blown apart by something high power, the steel in the frame was ruined. Only clue we have is a black katana we found at the scene. Nothing’s come back so far .” What he didn’t say was that he knew the sword all too well, he didn’t even need a shred of evidence as to who it belonged to. Once upon a time, the sword had been his, but he gave it to a very dear person. With the sword once again cropping up, he was one step closer to finding the person in question, and that thought re-ignited something within him, gave him a reason to keep going. "The weird thing is, the thief didn't take much, if anything. Despite all the effort." he added, honestly confused. None of the evidence added up. Such a carefully planned assault for nothing in return, it just didn't make sense in the slightest. "What if IMAC covered it up?" Rubie insinuated with an upraised finer, smiling as her mind churned at the possibilities. "Think about it. I don't think this is the first train attack I heard of. It's quite possible that this Phoenix Guild took care of the issue under the counter if you know what I mean? I mean, really, what thief wouldn't ''try to make off with at least something? It makes too much sense for the Company's recently proclaimed ''Guild of the People to cover one incident up and make the other public." As she thought about it, she looked around at the many customers, thanking inwardly she wasn't too loud about this. If anyone heard that she was badmouthing the Phoenix Guild, they'd give her dirty looks. Worse, they could stir up into an angry mob or file a complain to her superiors and she'd hate to file the paperwork while getting an earful from her Captain. The man who was currently opperating within the city they've been charged to protect and safeguard. "No one running under a Company banner is out for the good of anybody. There must be a profiting angle for them. That has to be it," She thought with a pensive frown as she turned to look down at her table, her lips pouting. She just hoped the food would put her mind and body at ease, make her forget the topic she unintentionally brought up to sour her cheerful demeanor. As Rubie insinuated that the IMAC might have staged the incidents to make the guild look good, Hunter ground his teeth, lest he lash out in denial. “She wouldn’t be someone else’s pawn...but why would they have that sword? What’s going on here?” he thought bitterly, regaining his composure despite the questions still needing answers and the truth that still painfully eluded him. No matter how he looked at it, the evidence mounted more and more against the IMAC and their newly minted guild with the train situation. Too many coincidences stacked next to each other, especially with the final train carrying truly outrageous cargo. What kind of thief wouldn’t be tempted by Dragon Lacrima, one of the most expensive and powerful types to ever exist, not to mention the immense numbers of normal ones as well. “Hey, try not to say anything like that while we’re out in the open. Too many people idolize them right now, and too many see them as saviors.” he said, admonishing his partner. “Besides, there’s too many things we don’t know about that. And we really can’t do much since Victor Alexander himself said it was already taken care of. If you want to think about it, he metaphorically tied our hands behind our backs with that one." "Yeah, that rich bastard has us cornered. And I guess freedom of speech is null when you have people willing to stone you for rhetoric heresay," She drawled in response, sighing as she leaned back against her seat. Turning to look over her shoulder, she saw the young waiter coming in with a piping hot tray with plates of food. Smelling it already, her mood immediately brightened as the restaraunt employee set down the plates and smiled only a fraction of what Rubie did as she openly salivated at the sight of her meat and rice dish. "Here you go you two," He said with a fluent placement of the plates and the two drinks, one of which was a sweetened soda and the other was water for Roland. "Please, let me know if you need anything else. I'll be around so just give a shout and I'll come as soon as I am able." "That'sfinethankyoueatingnow!" She hurriedly thanked as she clapped her hands in a brief sign of prayer before diving into the food she craved so dearly. Her hands and mouth were a blur to the morsels she chose to consume, each one earning a moan and groan of delight. It was truly delicions to her taste buds. As Rubie looked away, Hunter followed her gaze to the waiter carrying their meals. Food was a welcome sight at the moment. As the salmon platter was set before him, he smiled, recalling the days spent in his home village, one reliant on fishing to sustain itself. With a glance up at his partner, he was taken aback. Only one other person he knew could shovel in so much food so fast. Looking on, he swore he saw a ghostly image of another girl sitting there. His brain latched onto the recollection with reckless abandon, bringing a tear to his eye, a sharp contrast to the solid facade he kept up regardless. Without even a word on the matter, he began to dig into his own plate of food. The fish was seasoned and cooked perfectly. It was one of the best cuts of fish he’d had since leaving home years ago and he couldn’t even begin to find fault with it. The two dined on their food like there was no tomorrow. Not a care in the world, much the majority of people talking, laughing and eating around them within the hub. Rubie gorged on her large platter just as her partner enjoyed his own dish. The animated chatter filled with exuberance and business as usual. In the back of her mind she figured it'd just be another one of those days as it had been since their arrival to the recovering town. That was, until someone burst into the lobby and began to scream aloud, disturbing all whose meals were ongoing. Undoubtedly, it'd reach the ears of even the two Armed Wizards; much to Rubie's chagrin. "Is there no justice in our fair home?! Are you all content to eat while we are dragged off in the middle of the night, where our neighbours are missing or never return to their beds?! Will anyone here do what the guards and the company men refuse to do?!" Bellowed an older man, balding with grey hairs in his otherwise darkened beard that wound up to his sideburns. A desperate look came out of his eyes as much as it filled his confused and anger filled words, his uniform marred by the work he did in the shop he had down the road. He obviously looked like he left what he was doing to start raving at the nearest person who listened, but no one in this particular establishment wanted to lend him an ear. "Please, sir," A supervisor stepped up as some of the waiters were timid to approach the man, him being a stocky and well built man for his middle aged years. "You're disturbing the customers. If you have a complaint or an issue, I'm sure you can-" "I've TRIED City Hall, if you can call it that!" He sputtered, his left eye twitching as he swung a calloused large hand around for emphasis. Seeing that the manager hadn't backed down, he took a stabbing push of his meaty finger at him as a subdued glint of rage was pouring through his eyes and mulling through his words. "I bet you were bought off just like the rest of this town. No one wants trouble, so they just plug their ears and close their eyes, hoping it'd resolve itself. Well, it's been a week and people I know or love are being snatched off the road, in their beds and in this city. If you can't see that, then you are blind-" "Sir," The acting manager replied in a neutral tone, exhaling in a way that depicted his refusal to listen any longer. "You may need to try again because you are most certainly not the only one clambering to see things either brought to light or concluded with efficiency. IMAC employees are doing all they can to help lessen the strain of our city's staff but there's only so much anyone can do. I'm sorry, but if you don't quiet down and take a seat, I'm going to ask you to leave." Looking around, the man tried to raise a hand to anyone who was seated, anybody who listened. But already, most people who stared had turned to look back at their plates or turn to each other to continue their meals. He was just another object of gossip and not warranting of real concern. Sagging with deflated defeat, the man waved off dismissively as he turned to walk out the door, wordlessly giving up finding any true help here. "Well...that happened," Rubie muttered as she turned from watching over her shoulder. Turning to look over at Hunter, she arched a brow as she leaned her face into an upraised fist, gazing at him curiously. "What do you think? Is there any merit to his ramblings or is it just another problem the militia has to work out for themselves?" Hunter looked up from his plate at the commotion. Although it was simple to pass the obviously upset man’s actions off as rambling, maybe even residual hysteria from the stress-filled days, there was too much honesty in his words to outright dismiss. “We took an oath to help people, Rubie. Besides, I’d rather see for myself if the man was full of it or if this is really a problem.” he said, a deeply troubled expression on his face. It was like back then, the monster that ruled his home village had been said to have taken many people to his lair, many of whom were never seen again. Those that did come back were always not quite the same, broken both physically and mentally, and the worst cases could do little but stare blankly, as if all that made them humans had been hopelessly stripped away. It was terrible to see. His last victim was the one Hunter knew personally, but she was thankfully able to somehow remain sane, a miracle all its own. To see it repeated in front of his eyes once again was both terrifying and disturbing. “Finish eating, we got work to do.” he said, a harsh edge to his voice. The only reason he wasn’t bolting after the man as it was, he needed his partner and if she was at all off the top of her game, things could end badly. The Lurker in the Dark She knew what Hunter was talking about. It was an oath, to protect the land and its rulers above all other things. Even putting the Council secondary during times of crisis may be necessary. In a way she was just trying to shirk her duties to local law enforcement so she could enjoy another lazy day. Even then there was an offhand chance the man's problems wasn't in their skill set to solve. They weren't private investigators or rescue operations. Soldiers, trained and hardened through a myriad of tough battles is what they are. She fought many monsters, Dark Wizards, constructs and even apparitions to know what her best qualities were and it wasn't just 'helping the weak'. So with a reluctant sigh, she finished her meal and downed her drink with a heavy sigh. "C'mon then, Hunter. You do the talking cause that guy soured my mood. I may end up hurting him for interrupting our meal." While in truth she never attacked without cause, her irritation was pretty palpable by the look of barely restrained fury her hat was emoting; ironically sense her own expression was as stone cold as she could make it. She'd follow him and observe but attempt to do little else. She hoped one of the other Armed Wizards in town could substitute but she knew it was a unlikely possibility. Hunter likewise quickly finished his meal. He wasn’t happy that duty called; in fact he hated the idea of a peaceful day dragging up bad memories to begin with, not to mention the fact that now things were more complicated than expected with the sudden disappearances now coming to light. No sooner than finishing the final bites of his fish, he withdrew his wallet and set a handful of Jewels on the table. He knew time was important before their one lead got away, and if the case turned out to be fact, time wasn’t with the missing people either. Swallowing back the last bit of his water, he made every effort to look casual as he strode out the door. Once back outside, he scanned the area, looking for the man who interrupted his downtime. A few seconds later, he saw the man trying once more to plead his case to someone, hoping to find a willing ear. Steeling his nerves, Hunter ran after to the man. “Excuse me, sir. Me and my partner heard that you were having some trouble. Mind giving us some information?” he asked, his calm face masking a torrent of emotions with an air of professionalism. "Oh!" The older workshop owner turned around, a look of confusion mingled with his relief. Someone finally heard his words of desperation! Seeing the shorter girl in strange trappings and the equally bizarrely dressed man with a sword in red with a large sword, he could only assume they weren't of IMAC personnel or of the city's Militia. That could only mean one thing. "Am...am I speaking with the Armed Wizards the Council sent to help protect our city?" "Yes," Rubie answered readily, her dry tone mirrored by a visage reflected on her hat of no amusement. "Please answer the question." "Ah, my apologies," He bowed halfway, turning his stare back to the taller man to address him appropriately. "Not many people want to admit it but there's been a series of...kidnappings, going around. I don't know whom is doing this or why they're targeting us, but there's a perpetrator that hasn't left our people alone since the recovery process has begun. I only noticed myself within the last four days. At first it was someone who wandered into the forest to observe the scars the Phoenix Guild's battle with the Dark Wizards had made. But no one heard from them again. Next thing I know, neighbours of mine start going missing slowly but surely and now even my lovely assistant Danielle is gone as well! She..." He bent his head down, tears starting to well up in his eyes. "...she was orphaned by the attack, but I took her in since I knew her parents so well. She was an earnest, decent young woman. And now she was taken as well. I can't imagine what I'd do if I never knew what happened to her! Please," Raising his head to look back at Hunter, his hands grasped at his collar and gripped it tightly as he hoarsely whispered. "Find my people! Find her! I, no our city, need this hunt on our own kind to stop! I know no other more qualified than the Council's best Wizards in combat!" Rubie only looked on with a mixture of surprise and intrigue. While it wasn't uncommon for predators of the most unsavory kind reach out towards smaller settlements or even bustling cities to satisfy their demented cravings. But this was happening only after a recent publicly announced attack on the trading hub. If this alerted a particular kind of entity, it'd explain why only recently such kidnappings were surfacing. As her mind reeled, she glanced to the side up at her taller comrade, wondering what his next course of action was to be with this addressed information. Hunter listened intently as the man explained his plight. The fact it struck so similar to his past resonated with him. Keeping himself composed, he spoke with a seriousness that he so rarely possessed. “We’ll stop this, all of it. Before long, whoever is behind this will be dealt with, you have my word.” As he spoke, he carefully removed the man’s grip from his collar. He began to walk in the direction of the forest, turning back to look at his partner for a few seconds. “Let’s go, Rubie. We’re going to put a stop to this.” With that said, he sprinted off. “''I won’t let anyone go through that, not if I have anything to say about it...Never again''!” That thought fueled him, as did the memories of seeing the kind of suffering he now sought to destroy outright, the anger of knowing no one could save them from the hell forced upon them, it all came back at once, like someone had broken a dam and let a river run wild in ways it hadn't in ages. And with those emotions coursing through him, his goal was clear; he would set things right and protect as many as he could. Hearing how Hunter responded sent a chill down her spine. She hadn't seen him this motivated in all the years she worked with him. The man's plight almost seemed to fall on sympathetic ears with how intently he listened to the tale. It wasn't simply just a mission of good will and duty for her partner; it was a personal fight he was willing to take up arms for. "R-Right," She stuttered slightly at seeing him get going right away. They were still a good few miles away from the outskirts of the city but the lack of forestry in the distance was a good way of finding their destination. It was a place that ordinarily was discouraged from entering just due to how much intense Ethernano concentration was there. Ordinary people could accidentally find themselves dizzy or even pass out by staying in the blast site for too long. Even the weakest of mages were theoretically not safe when the ruins of a Wizard Saint battle had just occurred, and if she heard anything that was close to accurate it was that kind of power belonged to the Phoenix Guild. "Are these kidnappings related to IMAC's savior Guild? Or is this just out of pure opportunity?" She thought as they tread quickly across the street towards the already shifting atmosphere of the edge of town. She could tell why no one wanted to rebuild right away here. Even the destruction had left a bad taste in the mouth for her and she was a high tier Mage all things considering. Narrowing her eyes she kept huffing it, easily keeping up with the taller and more well developed man that was Hunter Black. "Either way, I'll watch your back Hunter. Just don't get lost in this mission. Make it too personal, and you may end up making a mistake you'll regret."